Crime reports in Chico drop during first half of year

Chico police officers Regan Ortega and Sgt. Scott Zuschin search for a suspect after a woman's purse was stolen at gunpoint at West Fifth and Oak streets on Aug. 19. A report on serious crimes documented in Chico from January through June was released Wednesday.(Ty Barbour/Staff Photo)

CHICO -- A dip in crime reports during the first six months of this year in Chico could be a result of fewer officers to document them.

Because Chico Police Department staff levels have decreased while calls for service increased, there aren't enough officers available to take reports, crime analyst Robert Woodward said.

"We simply don't have the level of staffing needed to adequately report and document the crimes that are happening," Woodward said.

Woodward released the report on serious crimes documented in Chico from January through June on Wednesday. Those crimes decreased 15 percent compared with the same period last year. The crimes include larceny, burglary, auto theft, assault, robbery, rape and homicide.

Chico police command staff did not return a request for comment by deadline Wednesday.

Department staff asks some callers to go online and fill out a crime report; however, not many people go through the trouble to do so, Woodward said.

Reports of serious crimes nationwide have also decreased, a trend that could be occurring in Chico, Woodward said.

A 4 percent increase in crimes against people was offset by a 17 percent decrease in crimes against property.

Because hundreds of larcenies are reported every six months, the decrease from 663 to 540 largely affects the total percentage of serious reported crimes, Woodward said.

No homicides were reported in the city of Chico from January through June.

The number of reported rapes increased from nine to 17.

Burglaries increased 11 percent.

Auto thefts continued to have a wide fluctuation from year to year, decreasing by 50 percent.

Mapping showed a slightly higher concentration of crimes just south or north of Chico State University, including the downtown area.